This invention relates to footwear, and more particularly, is directed to motion activated illuminating footwear having a light module therein.
It is well known to position a light inside of a heel of footwear, with the light being activated all of the time. In such known construction, the light can be turned off by means of a switch extending from the heel of the footwear. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,253 to McCormick. However, this construction provides certain disadvantages. First, there is the possibility that the switch is not turned off, in which case the light will burn out in a very short period of time. Second, a connection must be made between the switch on the outside of the heel to the circuitry within the heel, which adds to the cost and complexity of the footwear. Third, there is the possibility that the switch can be damaged, for example, by banging the shoe against an object, since the switch is externally accessible.
For the above reasons, it is preferred to position the entire circuitry and switch therefor entirely within the heel of the footwear. In this regard, it is well known to position a light, such as a light emitting diode (LED) inside of the heel of footwear, such that the light is visible from the exterior of the footwear, with the light being activated by means of a pressure sensitive switch. In particular, when the wearer steps down and exerts pressure on the pressure sensitive switch when walking or running, a circuit is closed so as to supply power to activate the LED. When the wearer steps up, relieving pressure from the pressure sensitive switch, the circuit is opened so as disconnect power to the LED. Examples of such footwear are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,447 to Chiang et al, European Patent Application No. 0 121 026, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,133 to Duval. However, the use of a pressure sensitive switch and the associated circuit connections increases the cost and complexity of the footwear.
It is also known to position a light inside of the heel of footwear, with the light being activated by a mercury tilt switch in the footwear. See, for example, German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,608,485, the aforementioned European Patent Application No. 0 121 026, U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,922 to Dana, III, U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,009 to Rodgers and U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,247 to Dana, III. However, the addition of the mercury tilt switch and the associated circuitry greatly adds to the cost and complexity of the footwear.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,764 to Wut, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses the use of an LED inside of the heel of a shoe, which is intermittently activated by movement of the shoe. Specifically, when the shoe is moved, the free end of a coil spring which is fixed in a cantilevered manner, is caused to intermittently complete the electrical circuit to supply current to the LED.
It is further known to provide oscillating or sequential illumination of LEDs. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,488 to Dion, six LEDs are distributed along a plastic strip of the sneaker between the crossed laces, each of which is turned on in sequence so as to give the appearance of a light traveling along the strip as the LEDs are successively turned on. In order to accomplish this purpose, a decade counter has six outputs, each being connected to a respective LED to provide such sequential lighting. However, since the LEDs are controlled to operate sequentially and thereby produce a sequential "flashing" effect, there is no need to provide a pressure sensitive switch, mercury tilt switch or coil switch, as indicated above, to provide alternating power to the circuit. In other words, in the aforementioned circuits, the switches are activated to turn on and off in response to movement of the shoe in order to produce the flashing effect, while Dion produces the flashing effect by reason of the decade counter so that there would be no reason to provide any of the aforementioned movement sensitive switches for powering the decade counter in Dion. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,088 which discusses an alternative to a motion sensitive switch, that is, flashing LEDs based on a predetermined pattern.
Other circuits which provide alternating or sequential flashing of LEDs are known in conjunction with capacitors which charge and discharge to activate the respective LEDs. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,670 to Pederson for a static flasher system; U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,972 to Malkieli et al for another static flasher system for use with a symbolic/religious memorial light; U.S. Pat. No. 2,960,627 to Hunt; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,359 to Jones. However, none of these patents discloses use of such a circuit with a shoe or with a motion sensitive switch for powering the oscillation circuit.